Living a Self-Controlled, Upright, Godly Life

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For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14)

We're just hours away from the celebration of the greatest event the world has ever known; the birth of God's Son, our Messiah, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Yet, for many, this is a time of rush and hurry to get the last-minute gift for that hard-to-please person on their list; others are rushing to the grocery store to fight the crowds that must prepare a feast to the liking of even the pickiest of eaters. What if we sat down, took a deep breath and prayed this prayer: "Lord, help me to live a self-controlled, upright, and Godly life; for You have taken care of all the rest through Jesus, amen."?

Titus writes these words because he knew all about life and all about God. He knew that through Christ, God has taken care of us with the most important aspects of our life: Our souls are saved; with the right attitude, we become people for all people to bring them along this journey of life and that in abundance; and as we work for the good of all, we await the final glory that is coming. It does require our part as illustrated in the photo selected for today's reading; We must find the right balance for our lives, a certain calmness that fights against anxiety; the determination to move forward in spite of unexpected setbacks or illnesses, the confidence that says, "I can do this" that comes from God's Holy Spirit in our lives, and the willpower that is ours for the taking by asking God to help us. That is self-control. For upright, God's Spirit helps us make the right and best decisions for our lives; staying away from the harmful to us and others choices that come our way. For the Godly, that comes from the time we spend with God in prayer and scripture reading and study. If we start there, the other two come easier.

PRAYER: LORD, it was the birth of a tiny baby that has brought all this traffic to our areas, shoppers to our stores, and a hurried pace. Many have forgotten that, but I pray not to be among those; I want to be those Titus mentioned who have it altogether because of You. This I pray in He born for us, Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Harvest is Plentiful

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Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. (Matthew 9:37)

Jesus does not lie.

We do. I'm great especially at justifying some of my actions, thoughts, or lack thereof. Jesus doe not lie, and never needs to justify His actions.

Nellie and I have gotten up early now for some time, to read the Bible out loud to each other, silent time to write reflections, and then a prayer together, and then I come to my office and share a prayer on that reading through my blog, "The Pastor's Gift." The other day we came across this passage, and as we read it, I remembered the numerous accounts I've heard about, know about, and read about, of churches that are closed. There should be nothing sadder for any Christian, especially a pastor, than to see a church closing or already closed. This goes against the entire message of the Bible for us to be fruitful and multiply the number of those who are coming to new life through Jesus Christ.

I may have shared the true account of a small church in another district that has rented its worship space out to three other churches, who have grown so big, they could no longer worship in that small United Methodist Church. That church, however, continues with its ten members.

Jesus does not lie.

There is a harvest, and it is ready, and as the rest of that verse say, "The workers are few."

We believe we've done all we can, and we say we're impacting those few that come Sunday after Sunday. And that may be true, but what about the harvest? There are churches that are truly growing, why isn't ours?

Jesus answers prayer.

I've shared with you at our charge conferences a prayer that I really wish you would pray, with a selected group of your trusted leaders. Prayer works. Prayer begins the process of reaching the harvest. It allows the Holy Spirit to come into our worship and our parking lots, and move among us to become the people we are called to become, and we might just reach the harvest.

Jesus walked everywhere He went.

That's the punch line of an old joke of the father-son discussion about long hair and the continued use of the family car if one of the two didn't cut their hair. I lived that.

Those churches that are reaching the harvest are going beyond their campus to knock and doors to pray with people. And as they pray they listen to needs being shared, and then responses to those needs are deployed. In one of my churches we have a store room full of wheelchairs, crutches, and other types of medical supplies that were just collecting dust. During one of our prayer walks we found a family in need of a lot of those items. We prayed for them, and then shared with them that which we had. God answered prayer through our church. And we sent a message to the family that we not only cared though our prayers, but in our work to answer those prayers that we could.

Jesus loved all people.

Prayer can begin to change the hearts of those who for years haven't. Some who complain about noisy children, once they hold them and carry them around, once again realize that God put that wiggle and giggle in that child, and it's okay to have some squeals and cries in the church - it is the sound of life!

Prayer may also change those who for years have had notions about different people, especially those who don't dress or talk like the rest of us. Working alongside each other, and sharing life stories, we discover the common core of humanity.

Jesus expected results.

So should we. We have not done enough. We should not be comfortable. We should toss and turn when we realize we have not done enough. We should move away from the notion that only a set number of hours are expected of us "at work." If you miss the time clock, you may be missing your old job; the one I have is exciting and never-ending. The more I do, the more I want to do more.

The harvest is plentiful.

We've got work to do.

And here's Advent!

Jesus Understands Our Condition

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From our reading in Matthew 11 this morning, this prayer:

Lord Jesus, you better than anyone else, truly and genuinely understand our human condition. You felt great sadness at the arrest of your kinsman, John. You felt some distress at his doubt, but understood given where he found himself and what he knew was coming to end his life. You did so much to prove to him, and us, that You are Who You are, the Messiah: You gave new hope and wholeness to those in different situations, the blind saw, the lame walked, the lepers were made clean, the deaf heard, and the dead were raised. The good news were shared with the poor.

You have helped the spiritually blind to see new things and new possibilities; the ones paralyzed with fear and doubt unable to move forward, can now run to do that which You expect. The ones who felt unclean and unpresentable, now shine Your light and love. Those who were spiritually dead, now walk with new life. And we are still to preach and share the good news with those who have not yet heard nor received them.

We thank You for John's role and ministry that even today paves the way for You as we enter Advent and as we await Your second return.

We pray we would not be like those cities that saw and experienced great miracles and yet did not believe nor repent of their ways; help us to believe and be made right with You, for we have seen and experienced great things in our lives.

Lord, help us to hear and accept Your invitation to come to You, just as we are, weary and as burdened as we are, and we will truly find in You rest for our souls.

Help us to further Your work here on the earth.

In Thy precious and powerful name we pray, amen!

As One with Jesus' Authority

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This morning was spent on Matthew 10, and here is a prayer on that passage:

Lord, grant me Your authority to truly do all You would have me do. I want to be a part of the wholeness and restoration ministry of those hurting and ill.

Let me go to all places to boldly proclaim You and Your saving grace. Let me truly be shrewd like a serpent, but innocent as a dove in doing Your will.

I ask not for safety, but salvation. I ask not for protection as much as power to faithfully and fruitfully serve.

Let me be a witness in front of all people, regardless of station or status, for You will provide the words to share with all through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

I fear not arrest by men as I fear being arrested by doubt or pride.

I know the worth I have in Your loving eyes, and that exceeds the low that others, even in my own family, has placed on me.

I seek to serve Thee for the reward of Your love and grace both now and for all eternity.

In the Name of He Who died for me, Jesus my Lord, amen.

Thank You, Lord...

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In my reading of Matthew, chapter 9, here are the words for a prayer based on that wonderful reading about our wonderful, awesome Savior and Lord, Jesus:

Thank You, Lord, for forgiving my sins. Thank you for strength to stand and walk, even when I would feel better staying in bed; for allowing me to walk even in times of feeling weak, weary, unwanted, ignored, invisible, and rejected.

Thank You, Lord, for seeing the true potential in all people, yes, even among those written off by society. It was from among those that You called Your disciples, whom you made apostles. Help me be among those.

Lord, grant me Your vision to see those who should join us and be among us, even among "sinners."

Lord, help me to fast and feast on only Your word and spirit. Help me to burst when filled with Your Spirit, into outrageous and courageous acts of mercy and justice.

Lord, thank You for new life in those who seek to live again.

Lord, thank You for Your loving and healing touch to make whole and new, those who seek You.

Lord, thank You for conquering the evil in us, and for restoring us to faithfulness and fruitfulness.

Grant us the vision and courage to see the harvest even in areas where others have said there is no life nor future. Help me be among the harvest workers to bring in that harvest!

This I pray in Thy Name, Christ Jesus! Amen!

Jesus, Our Healer

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This comes from our reading in Matthew 8 this morning:

It seems no matter how grave or hopeless our situation, be it disease or sin, Your loving touch heals us, and makes us whole, Loving Jesus.

Grant me the faith of the Centurion, a foreigner to faith, but who quickly learned by watching and listening to You, how awesome You are, and the power at Your command, so that I too, may ask in faith for that which blesses others, especially even those many consider lowly or not worthy.

Lord, grant me the faith that will reserve my place at the feast table with the heroes and parents of the faith.

Work at making my weaknesses, strength; and my illnesses, blessings. Let me follow You without regard to where I will sleep nor stay, for in You I have found the rest my soul desired for so long, and the nourishment of my spirit; truly in You I have found the fullness of life.

Let not the storms of life take away from where I need to be; deliver me from believing possessions are more important than the blessings You share with others.

This I pray in Thy precious name, Lord Jesus, amen.

Building Upon the Rock

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I read from Matthew 7 and blessed from it, I wrote this prayer:

Loving God, let me not judge others, for that will be Your job, but do let me see myself honestly and openly, in ways that let me be holy and pure before You. Let me work alongside those who love You and bless You, so that we might bring blessings to all, especially those who do not yet know You.

Help me to live a prayer life that has full confidence in You that trusts You enough to ask, seek, and knock; and the wisdom to know when to do each. Let me truly do to others, as I like for others to do to me. Help me to walk through the narrow gate of faith and godliness, and to bear fruit of that faith. Let me live out Your will for my life so that I may be one who truly blesses others.

Let my life we firmly upon the Rock; let me hear and do what You share with me - let neither wind nor rain, in whatever form they present themselves in my life, damage my relationship with You. For I know, as the hymn says, "all other ground is sinking sand."

This I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.